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Zilog Introduces New MCU Based UART Single Chip Communication Device

Zilog®, a wholly owned subsidiary of IXYS Corporation (NASDAQ:IXYS) that specializes in application specific solutions with microcontrollers (MCUs), today introduced a new revolutionary UART, based on its advanced MCU...

Zilog®, a wholly owned subsidiary of IXYS Corporation (NASDAQ:IXYS) that specializes in application specific solutions with microcontrollers (MCUs), today introduced a new revolutionary UART, based on its advanced MCU technology for industrial, automotive and telecommunication applications.

Zilog's Digital UART is a single chip CMOS communications device that provides full duplex asynchronous communications with a 128 byte FIFO buffer (64 bytes for Receive, 64 bytes for Transmit). The Digital UART also contains a 4K bit EEPROM and General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) with a programmable interrupt capability that can be tailored for multiple applications by software.

The Zilog Digital UART has an internal oscillator (8 MHz), so there is no need for an external crystal. This UART is controlled by the simple I2C protocol (2-wire interface), allowing up to eight devices in the same I2C network. Although this device is fully programmable through the exposed commands, it is preconfigured to operate at a 57,600 baud rate. Therefore, it is possible to send and receive data without requiring a change in configuration to access the UART or the EEPROM. Zilog's Digital UART provides separate programmable interrupts and interrupt lines for UART and GPIO notifications, so the controlling device does not have to poll the device for data.

Key features:

Single power supply from 3.0 volts to 5.0 volts

No external crystal needed

Minimal pin count for space saving

Interrupt lines for UARTs and GPIOs for notification

Control via I2C standard protocol, up to 400K

Up to 8 different addresses available

Can stack up to 8 parts on same I2C network

Ability to send multiple write commands in a single transfer

No configuration necessary

Default UART setting: 57600 baud, no flow control, no parity, 8 bits

EEPROM is accessed through standard I2C EEPROM communications

GPIO configured as inputs

Up to 2 industry standard full duplex individual UART channels

64 byte receiver FIFO for each UART

64 byte transmitter FIFO for each UART

Flow control using CTS and RTS pins

In-band flow control using XON/XOFF

FIFO watermark settings for configuring interrupt lines

Programmable data formats:

5 to 8 bits data

Odd, Even or no parity

1 or 2 stop bits

Loopback for testing

Flexible baud rate selection, in steps of 100 bits per second, up to 250K

Programmable interrupts

Built-in 4K bit I2C EEPROM

Standard I2C EEPROM communications

300K times endurance

10 year retention

General Purpose Input Output pins

Up to 12 GPIO pins

2 pins can generate interrupt on change of pin value

Each pin is fully configurable

Individual pin configuration

Direction (input/output)

Open drain output option

Weak pull-up option

Debounce option

Quickly return to default settings

Examples of applications

Point of sale devices

Communication bridges

Process control

Building/automation control

Terminal servers

Print systems

Sensors communications

IoT applications

"Many times in designing various types of systems the engineering community will run into a design where having these additional UARTs helps accomplish the mission. In this case, using Zilog's Digital UART provides several other features which have also been added that can solve the designer's needs," remarked Steve Darrough, Zilog's VP of Marketing.

Zilog's Digital UART device is now available for customers that place orders through the distribution channels. For more information, visit www.zilog.com.

Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including the performance, rating, benefits, reliability, availability and suitability of products for various applications, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the results of IXYS to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including, among others, risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including its Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2015. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements.